Molecular Physiological Evidence for the Role of Na+-Cl- Co-Transporter in Branchial Na+ Uptake in Freshwater Teleosts.

The gills are the major organ for Na+ uptake in teleosts. It was proposed that freshwater (FW) teleosts adopt Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (Nhe3) as the primary transporter for Na+ uptake and Na+-Cl- co-transporter (Ncc) as the backup transporter. However, convincing molecular physiological evidence to support the role of Ncc in branchial Na+ uptake is still lacking due to the limitations of functional assays in the gills. Thus, this study aimed to reveal the role of branchial Ncc in Na+ uptake with an in vivo detection platform (scanning ion-selective electrode technique, SIET) that has been recently established in fish gills. First, we identified that Ncc2-expressing cells in zebrafish gills are a specific subtype of ionocyte (NCC ionocytes) by using single-cell transcriptome analysis and immunofluorescence. After a long-term low-Na+ FW exposure, zebrafish increased branchial Ncc2 expression and the number of NCC ionocytes and enhanced gill Na+ uptake capacity. Pharmacological treatments further suggested that Na+ is indeed taken up by Ncc, in addition to Nhe, in the gills. These findings reveal the uptake roles of both branchial Ncc and Nhe under FW and shed light on osmoregulatory physiology in adult fish.

In Vivo Functional Assay in Fish Gills: Exploring Branchial Acid-Excreting Mechanisms in Zebrafish.

Molecular and physiological analyses in ionoregulatory organs (e.g., adult gills and embryonic skin) are essential for studying fish ion regulation. Recent progress in the molecular physiology of fish ion regulation was mostly obtained in embryonic skin; however, studies of ion regulation in adult gills are still elusive and limited because there are no direct methods for in vivo functional assays in the gills. The present study applied the scanning ion-selective electrode technique (SIET) in adult gills to investigate branchial H+-excreting functions in vivo. We removed the opercula from zebrafish and then performed long-term acid acclimation experiments. The results of Western blot and immunofluorescence showed that the protein expression of H+-ATPase (HA) and the number of H+-ATPase-rich ionocytes were increased under acidic situations. The SIET results proved that the H+ excretion capacity is indeed enhanced in the gills acclimated to acidic water. In addition, both HA and Na+/H+ exchanger (Nhe) inhibitors suppressed the branchial H+ excretion capacity, suggesting that H+ is excreted in association with HA and Nhe in zebrafish gills. These results demonstrate that SIET is effective for in vivo detection in fish gills, representing a breakthrough approach for studying the molecular physiology of fish ion regulation.

Arginine Vasopressin Modulates Ion and Acid/Base Balance by Regulating Cell Numbers of Sodium Chloride Cotransporter and H+-ATPase Rich Ionocytes.

Arginine vasopressin (Avp) is a conserved pleiotropic hormone that is known to regulate both water reabsorption and ion balance; however, many of the mechanisms underlying its effects remain unclear. Here, we used zebrafish embryos to investigate how Avp modulates ion and acid-base homeostasis. After incubating embryos in double-deionized water for 24 h, avp mRNA expression levels were significantly upregulated. Knockdown of Avp protein expression by an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide (MO) reduced the expression of ionocyte-related genes and downregulated whole-body Cl- content and H+ secretion, while Na+ and Ca2+ levels were not affected. Incubation of Avp antagonist SR49059 also downregulated the mRNA expression of sodium chloride cotransporter 2b (ncc2b), which is a transporter responsible for Cl- uptake. Correspondingly, avp morphants showed lower NCC and H+-ATPase rich (HR) cell numbers, but Na+/K+-ATPase rich (NaR) cell numbers remained unchanged. avp MO also downregulated the numbers of foxi3a- and p63-expressing cells. Finally, the mRNA expression levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (cgrp) and its receptor, calcitonin receptor-like 1 (crlr1), were downregulated in avp morphants, suggesting that Avp might affect Cgrp and Crlr1 for modulating Cl- balance. Together, our results reveal a molecular/cellular pathway through which Avp regulates ion and acid-base balance, providing new insights into its function.

Clodronate liposomes reduce excessive scar formation in a mouse model of burn injury by reducing collagen deposition and TGF-ß1 expression.

Clodronate liposome injection is an effective approach to selectively and specifically depleting macrophages. Macrophages play a crucial role in cutaneous wound healing and are associated with excessive scar formation. Use of clodronate liposomes to enhance cutaneous wound healing and reduce scar formation could represent a major advance in wound therapy and hypertrophic scar treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection of clodronate liposomes on cutaneous wound healing and scar formation. A burn injury mouse model was used. Mice were treated with subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injection of clodronate liposomes. Wound healing time was analyzed and scar tissues were harvested for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses. Wound healing time in treated mice was extended. HE showed that the basal layer of the epidermis in treated scars was flattened, the dermis layer was not significantly thickened, and collagen fibers were well arranged, with few cells and micro vessels. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses showed that the levels of TGF-ß1 and collagen I-α2 were decreased in treated mice. Clodronate liposomes reduce excessive scar formation and delay cutaneous wound healing possibly by reducing collagen deposition and macrophage-derived TGF-ß1 expression.

[Variations of δ13C in water-soluble compounds during spring phenology of typical tree species in the warm temperate zone]. / æš–æ¸©å¸¦å ¸åž‹æ ‘ç§æ˜¥å­£ç‰©å€™æœŸæ°´æº¶æ€§åŒ–åˆç‰©Î´13C变化规律.

In this study, we examined the regularity of phenological rhythmical change of plant water-soluble compound δ13C (δ13Cwsc) in spring for two typical tree species in the warm temperate zone of China, Pinus tabuliformis and Robinia pseudoacacia. The δ13Cwsc in each organ of those two species in the spring phenological period were measured to explore the relationship between δ13Cwsc and related environmental factors. The results showed that there were significant differences in δ13Cwsc values of each organ between P. tabuliformis and R. pseudoacacia, with higher δ13Cwsc(-25.03‰±0.01‰) in the new shoot of P. tabuliformis. The δ13Cwsc value in the non-photosynthetic organs were 0.83‰-1.8‰ higher than that in the photosynthetic organs, while the δ13Cwsc value in the aboveground part was generally lower than that in the underground part. As spring progressing, different carbon storage strategies were found between two species. When the terminal bud of P. tabuliformis opened, the carbon was obtained from the proximal old leaves. At the beginning of leaf development, photosynthetic products accumulated by old leaves could not meet the growth requirements for new leaves and roots, with 90% of which depending on the carbon reserve in branches and stems. When full leaf having developed, the photosynthetic function of both new and old leaves recovered and the carbon consumed by branches and stems was gradually replenished. For R. pseudoacacia, at the beginning of leaf bud opening and leaf spreading, branches were the main carbon source for new leaves and roots. When leaves were fully unfolded, mature leaves with high capacity of carbon sequestration became the primary carbon source. Results of principal component analysis showed that temperature during observation period, ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature, sunshine duration and solar radiation were the main factors influencing δ13Cwsc, which could explained 86.3% of the total variation. The δ13Cwsc values of both species was negatively correlated with temperature and relative humidity, but positively correlated with the difference of saturated water pressure, ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature and sunshine duration. The main environmental factors affecting plant δ13Cwsc varied during the phenological process. Our results could provide a reference for more accurate estimation of spring organ carbon distribution pattern of regional typical tree species, and also a theoretical basis for formulating scientific and reasonable forest management strategy.

[Responses of plant community diversity to human disturbance in temperate grassland with different soil parent materials]. / ä¸åŒæ¯è´¨æ¸©å¸¦è‰åœ°æ¤ç‰©ç¾¤è½å¤šæ ·æ€§å¯¹äººä¸ºå¹²æ‰°çš„å“åº”.

Based on community investigation data from grasslands on two different soil parent material types (loess and sand parent materials) and under three human utilization modes in the Saihan Ullah Reserve, we calculated human disturbance index (HDI) and biodiversity indices and analyzed the interactions between species diversity and degradation levels. The results showed that degradation status varied across different soil parent material types and human utilization modes, and that degradation levels of loess and sand parent materials both increased with the enhancement of human utilization intensification. HDI of loess parent material grasslands (mean value of 1.21) was lower than sand parent material grasslands (mean value of 1.48) in the same human utilization. Biodiversity indices declined with soil sandy degree and the utilization intensification. The mean values of Margarlef richness index, Shannon diversity index, Simpson dominance index and Pielou evenness index were between 1.57-4.27, 1.16-2.39, 0.76-0.87, and 0.71-0.80, respectively. The Margalef richness index, Shannon diversity index and Simpson dominance index decreased with increasing HDI, while Pielou evenness index increased. Overgrazing could lead to serious threat on both grasslands with soil parent material types, and the optimum utilization mode of loess and sand parent material grasslands were enclosure with mowing and seasonal grazing. In the future works of biodiversity conservation, it is important to consider the influence of both different soil patent material and human utilization modes of grassland. It is urgent to develop different utilization modes for grassland under different soil parent material types, which would enhance the matchness of grassland restoration and management with local conditions.

A Differentiable Dynamic Model for Musculoskeletal Simulation and Exoskeleton Control.

An exoskeleton, a wearable device, was designed based on the user's physical and cognitive interactions. The control of the exoskeleton uses biomedical signals reflecting the user intention as input, and its algorithm is calculated as an output to make the movement smooth. However, the process of transforming the input of biomedical signals, such as electromyography (EMG), into the output of adjusting the torque and angle of the exoskeleton is limited by a finite time lag and precision of trajectory prediction, which result in a mismatch between the subject and exoskeleton. Here, we propose an EMG-based single-joint exoskeleton system by merging a differentiable continuous system with a dynamic musculoskeletal model. The parameters of each muscle contraction were calculated and applied to the rigid exoskeleton system to predict the precise trajectory. The results revealed accurate torque and angle prediction for the knee exoskeleton and good performance of assistance during movement. Our method outperformed other models regarding the rate of convergence and execution time. In conclusion, a differentiable continuous system merged with a dynamic musculoskeletal model supported the effective and accurate performance of an exoskeleton controlled by EMG signals.

Near-zero phase-lag hyperscanning in a novel wireless EEG system.

Objective. Hyperscanning is an emerging technology that concurrently scans the neural dynamics of multiple individuals to study interpersonal interactions. In particular, hyperscanning with electroencephalography (EEG) is increasingly popular owing to its mobility and its ability to allow studying social interactions in naturalistic settings at the millisecond scale.Approach.To align multiple EEG time series with sophisticated event markers in a single time domain, a precise and unified timestamp is required for stream synchronization. This study proposes a clock-synchronized method that uses a custom-made RJ45 cable to coordinate the sampling between wireless EEG amplifiers to prevent incorrect estimation of interbrain connectivity due to asynchronous sampling. In this method, analog-to-digital converters are driven by the same sampling clock. Additionally, two clock-synchronized amplifiers leverage additional radio frequency channels to keep the counter of their receiving dongles updated, which guarantees that binding event markers received by the dongle with the EEG time series have the correct timestamp.Main results.The results of two simulation experiments and one video gaming experiment reveal that the proposed method ensures synchronous sampling in a system with multiple EEG devices, achieving near-zero phase lag and negligible amplitude difference between the signals.Significance.According to all of the signal-similarity metrics, the suggested method is a promising option for wireless EEG hyperscanning and can be utilized to precisely assess the interbrain couplings underlying social-interaction behaviors.

Stem cell-based neuroprotective and neurorestorative strategies.

Stem cells, a special subset of cells derived from embryo or adult tissues, are known to present the characteristics of self-renewal, multiple lineages of differentiation, high plastic capability, and long-term maintenance. Recent reports have further suggested that neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from the adult hippocampal and subventricular regions possess the utilizing potential to develop the transplantation strategies and to screen the candidate agents for neurogenesis, neuroprotection, and neuroplasticity in neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, we review the roles of NSCs and other stem cells in neuroprotective and neurorestorative therapies for neurological and psychiatric diseases. We show the evidences that NSCs play the key roles involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders, including depression, stroke and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, the potential and possible utilities of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), reprogramming from adult fibroblasts with ectopic expression of four embryonic genes, are also reviewed and further discussed. An understanding of the biophysiology of stem cells could help us elucidate the pathogenicity and develop new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. In contrast to cell transplantation therapies, the application of stem cells can further provide a platform for drug discovery and small molecular testing, including Chinese herbal medicines. In addition, the high-throughput stem cell-based systems can be used to elucidate the mechanisms of neuroprotective candidates in translation medical research for neurodegenerative diseases.

IL-20 antagonist suppresses PD-L1 expression and prolongs survival in pancreatic cancer models.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) are multifactorial and characterized by dysregulated inflammatory networks. Whether the proinflammatory cytokine IL-20 is involved in the complex networks of PDAC and CAC remains unclear. Here, we report that elevated IL-20 levels in tumor tissue correlate with poor overall survival in 72 patients with PDAC. In vivo, we establish a transgenic mouse model (KPC) and an orthotopic PDAC model and examine the therapeutic efficacy of an anti-IL-20 monoclonal antibody (7E). Targeting IL-20 not only prolongs survival and attenuates PD-L1 expression in both murine models but also inhibits tumor growth and mitigates M2-like polarization in the orthotopic PDAC model. Combination treatment with 7E and an anti-PD-1 antibody shows better efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth than either treatment alone in the orthotopic PDAC model. Finally, 7E mitigates cachexic symptoms in CAC models. Together, we conclude IL-20 is a critical mediator in PDAC progression.

[Relationship between retention PM2.5 and leaf surface AFM character of six greening trees during autumn in Beijing West Mountain.] / åŒ—äº¬è¥¿å±±ç»¿åŒ–æ ‘ç§ç§‹å­£æ»žçº³PM2.5èƒ½åŠ›åŠå ¶ä¸Žå¶è¡¨é¢AFMç‰¹å¾çš„å ³ç³».

This study investigated PM2.5 adsorption by leaves of six tree species (Pinus bungeana, Pinus tabuliformis, Salix babylonica, Acer mono, Ginkgo biloba, Populus davidiana) in the West Mountain of Beijing. An aerosol generator was used for quantitative determination of PM2.5 adsorption. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to determine micro morphology characteristics on the leaf surface, including roughness parameters and the PM2.5 absorption mechanism of tree leaves. The results showed that the PM2.5 adsorption capacity per unit leaf area was as follows: P. bungeana (2.44±0.22 µg·cm-2) > P. tabuliformis (2.40±0.23 µg·cm-2) > S. babylonica (1.62±0.09 µg·cm-2) > A. mono (1.23±0.01 µg·cm-2) > G. biloba (1.00±0.07 µg·cm-2) > P. davi-diana (0.97±0.03 µg·cm-2). In autumn, PM2.5 adsorption capacity per unit leaf area was as follows: November (2.33±0.43 µg·cm-2) > October (1.62±0.64 µg·cm-2) > September (1.51±0.50 µg·cm-2). The leaves of P. bungeana and P. tabuliformis were rugged with many recesses and protrusions, large relative height difference, and high roughness, and their absorption ability of PM2.5 was strong. The leaves of S. babylonica and A. mono had folded leaf lamina and were covered by fine hairs, and their roughness was relatively high, with many protrusions and fillisters on the leaf surface. Since G. biloba and P. davidiana had smooth leaves, mostly oblong stomata and low roughness, their PM2.5 absorption ability was weaker. The ranking of average roughness on the ada-xial and abaxial side of the leaves was as follows: P. bungeana (149.91±16.38 nm) > P. tabuliformis (124.47±10.52 nm) > S. babylonica (98.85±5.36 nm) > A. mono (93.74±21.75 nm) > G. biloba (80.84±0.88 nm) > P. davidiana (67.72±8.66 nm). This accorded with PM2.5 adsorption per unit leaf area, and leaf roughness had a significant positive correlation with PM2.5 adsorption amount per unit leaf area as well (R2=0.9498). To improve the environmental effects of city vegetation, tree species with leaf surface morphology that facilitates absorption of PM2.5 and other particles should be selected.

Chinese herbal medicines promote hippocampal neuroproliferation, reduce stress hormone levels, inhibit apoptosis, and improve behavior in chronically stressed mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: An efficacious antidepressant without unwanted side effects is need urgently at present. This study aimed to investigate whether treatment with four Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs), namely Radix Astragali, Saposhnikovia divaricate (SD), Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. bark (EU), and Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang (C. yanhusuo), could reverse the effects of chronic mild stress (CMS) in a depression-like mouse model and the potential mechanism(s) of their action. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro study, the proliferation of NSCs was assessed using the MTS assay. In vivo study, chronic mild stress (CMS) was used in mice for 14 days to establish a depression-like mouse model. Plasma corticosterone levels were assessed by UPLC coupled to a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The forced swim test (FST) was used to assess the effects of the four CHMs on depression. BrdU incorporation and TUNEL staining were used to assay hippocampal precursor cell proliferation rate and apoptosis. RESULTS: The CHMs included Radix Astragali, EU, C. yanhusuo, and SD were shown to promote neuroproliferation in vitro. In vivo study, oral administration of these four CHMs for 14 days reversed the elevated plasma corticosterone levels, body weight loss, decrease in proliferation of hippocampal precursor cells; they also inhibited hippocampal cell apoptosis, and exhibited an antidepressant-like effect in a depression-like mouse model induced by CMS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that each of these CHMs has the potential to ameliorate depression. The possible mechanisms of action include modulation of the HPA axis, reduction in stress hormone levels, inhibition of apoptosis, and promotion of hippocampal neuronal plasticity and neurogenesis.

An Inflatable and Wearable Wireless System for Making 32-Channel Electroencephalogram Measurements.

Potable electroencephalography (EEG) devices have become critical for important research. They have various applications, such as in brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Numerous recent investigations have focused on the development of dry sensors, but few concern the simultaneous attachment of high-density dry sensors to different regions of the scalp to receive qualified EEG signals from hairy sites. An inflatable and wearable wireless 32-channel EEG device was designed, prototyped, and experimentally validated for making EEG signal measurements; it incorporates spring-loaded dry sensors and a novel gasbag design to solve the problem of interference by hair. The cap is ventilated and incorporates a circuit board and battery with a high-tolerance wireless (Bluetooth) protocol and low power consumption characteristics. The proposed system provides a 500/250 Hz sampling rate, and 24 bit EEG data to meet the BCI system data requirement. Experimental results prove that the proposed EEG system is effective in measuring audio event-related potential, measuring visual event-related potential, and rapid serial visual presentation. Results of this work demonstrate that the proposed EEG cap system performs well in making EEG measurements and is feasible for practical applications.

[Beijing common green tree leaves' accumulation capacity for heavy metals].

Seasonal variation of heavy metal contents in leaves and their relationships with soil heavy metal pollution levels were studied through measuring and analyzing the leaves of the common tree species in Beijing and soil heavy metal contents, to detect heavy metal accumulation ability of plant leaves. The results showed that: (1) the contents of Cu, Pb, Zn in plant leaves first decreased and then increased, again declined with changing the seasons (from spring to winter). Cr concentration showed the trend of first increase and then decrease from spring to winter, and the highest in the autumn; the accumulation capacities of Cu for Babylonica and Japonica were higher in the spring, summer and autumn, while Tabuliformis was in winter; the higher accumulation capacities for Cr, Pb were Japonica and Platycladus, and in winter were Platycladus and Bungeana; the higher accumulation capacities for Zn were Babylonica and Bungeana, while Platycladus in winter; (2) the pollution degree of four kinds of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn) from downtown to suburbs showed that: Jingshan (C =2.48, C is contamination factor) > Olympic (C = 1.27) > Songshan (C = 1.20) > Shuiguan (C = 1. 18); (3) the heavy metals concentration of same plant leaves in the water of the Great Wall changed larger, but those in the other three areas showed that: Jingshan > Olympic > Songshan; the ability of same species leaf to absorb different sorts of heavy metals showed that: Zn >Cu >Pb >Cr; the difference between Zn content and Cr content was significant (P <0.01); (4) the relationship between heavy metal content in plant leaves and soil heavy metal pollution levels presented a quadratic polynomial relation; the significant correlation was found between other three heavy metal contents of plant samples and soil samples, but they were not the case for the Cu, and the correlation coefficients were above 0. 9.

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Validation of Novel Flexible Silicon-Based Dry Sensors for Electroencephalography Signal Measurements.

Many commercially available electroencephalography (EEG) sensors, including conventional wet and dry sensors, can cause skin irritation and user discomfort owing to the foreign material. The EEG products, especially sensors, highly prioritize the comfort level during devices wear. To overcome these drawbacks for EEG sensors, this paper designs Societe Generale de Surveillance S [Formula: see text] A [Formula: see text] (SGS)-certified, silicon-based dry-contact EEG sensors (SBDSs) for EEG signal measurements. According to the SGS testing report, SBDSs extract does not irritate skin or induce noncytotoxic effects on L929 cells according to ISO10993-5. The SBDS is also lightweight, flexible, and nonirritating to the skin, as well as capable of easily fitting to scalps without any skin preparation or use of a conductive gel. For forehead and hairy sites, EEG signals can be measured reliably with the designed SBDSs. In particular, for EEG signal measurements at hairy sites, the acicular and flexible design of SBDS can push the hair aside to achieve satisfactory scalp contact, as well as maintain low skin-electrode interface impedance. Results of this paper demonstrate that the proposed sensors perform well in the EEG measurements and are feasible for practical applications.

Wireless and wearable EEG system for evaluating driver vigilance.

Brain activity associated with attention sustained on the task of safe driving has received considerable attention recently in many neurophysiological studies. Those investigations have also accurately estimated shifts in drivers' levels of arousal, fatigue, and vigilance, as evidenced by variations in their task performance, by evaluating electroencephalographic (EEG) changes. However, monitoring the neurophysiological activities of automobile drivers poses a major measurement challenge when using a laboratory-oriented biosensor technology. This work presents a novel dry EEG sensor based mobile wireless EEG system (referred to herein as Mindo) to monitor in real time a driver's vigilance status in order to link the fluctuation of driving performance with changes in brain activities. The proposed Mindo system incorporates the use of a wireless and wearable EEG device to record EEG signals from hairy regions of the driver conveniently. Additionally, the proposed system can process EEG recordings and translate them into the vigilance level. The study compares the system performance between different regression models. Moreover, the proposed system is implemented using JAVA programming language as a mobile application for online analysis. A case study involving 15 study participants assigned a 90 min sustained-attention driving task in an immersive virtual driving environment demonstrates the reliability of the proposed system. Consistent with previous studies, power spectral analysis results confirm that the EEG activities correlate well with the variations in vigilance. Furthermore, the proposed system demonstrated the feasibility of predicting the driver's vigilance in real time.

[Inhalable particulate matter and fine particulate matter: their basic characteristics, monitoring methods, and forest regulation functions].

Both inhalable particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are not only one of the main causes of air pollution, but also the primary pollutants in most cities. Based on the analysis of the impacts of PM10 and PM2.5 on the environment and human health, this paper summarized the components, sources, and mass concentration variations of PM10 and PM2.5 and related affecting factors, and introduced the network layout of PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring and its principles and features. The research methods on the removal of PM10 and PM2.5 by forests, the removal rates of PM10 and PM2.5 by different forests, and the related affecting mechanisms were summed up at regional and individual scales, and the existed problems in this research field were discussed. Due to the lack of the comparable observation studies on the atmospheric PM10 and PM2.5 along different gradients and in background areas, the joint effects of multiple factors on the PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations are not revealed. It was suggested that to make a rational network layout of PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring, to correctly select proper monitoring methods, and to compare and calibrate the observed results from classical manual methods would be the bases to guarantee the validity of PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring data. At present, there are few reports about the PM2.5 removal by forests, and it's not clear about the physiological processes and ecological mechanisms of PM10 and PM2.5 removal at cell, tissue, organ, and individual level.

Controlling a human-computer interface system with a novel classification method that uses electrooculography signals.

Electrooculography (EOG) signals can be used to control human-computer interface (HCI) systems, if properly classified. The ability to measure and process these signals may help HCI users to overcome many of the physical limitations and inconveniences in daily life. However, there are currently no effective multidirectional classification methods for monitoring eye movements. Here, we describe a classification method used in a wireless EOG-based HCI device for detecting eye movements in eight directions. This device includes wireless EOG signal acquisition components, wet electrodes and an EOG signal classification algorithm. The EOG classification algorithm is based on extracting features from the electrical signals corresponding to eight directions of eye movement (up, down, left, right, up-left, down-left, up-right, and down-right) and blinking. The recognition and processing of these eight different features were achieved in real-life conditions, demonstrating that this device can reliably measure the features of EOG signals. This system and its classification procedure provide an effective method for identifying eye movements. Additionally, it may be applied to study eye functions in real-life conditions in the near future.

Three Chinese herbal medicines promote neuroproliferation in vitro, and reverse the effects of chronic mild stress on behavior, the HPA axis, and proliferation of hippocampal precursor cell in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The present study investigated whether Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) could reverse the effects of chronic mild stress (CMS) in a depression-like mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of three Chinese herbals, Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri on promoting neuroproliferation were evaluated in vitro first and followed by in vivo study of mice which were received by an experimental setting of CMS for 14 days. The effects of the three CHMs on depression were evaluated using a behavioral test, named a forced swimming test (FST). The possible anti-depressive mechanisms of these three CHMs, including the modulation of HPA axis and promoting the hippocampal precursor cell proliferation, were evaluated by measuring plasma corticosterone levels and BrdU incorporation. RESULTS: The in vitro results of MTS assay showed that Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri could promote the proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) in a concentration-dependent manner. The oral administration of these three CHMs for 14 days reversed not only the elevation of plasma corticosterone levels and body weight loss, but also the decreasing of hippocampal precursor cell proliferation and abnormal behavior in the CMS induced depression-like mouse model. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that Rhizome Chuanxiong, Radix Scutellaria and Radix Phellodendri have the potential to ameliorate depression. The possible mechanisms were the inhibition of HPA axis hyperactivity and the increasing of hippocampal precursor cell proliferation. These findings supported the multicomponent and multitargeted approach of Chinese herbal medicine.

A vectorcardiogram-based classification system for the detection of Myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI), generally known as a heart attack, is one of the top leading causes of mortality in the world. In clinical diagnosis, cardiologists generally utilize 12-lead ECG system to classify patients into MI symptoms: 1. ST segment elevation, 2. ST segment depression or T wave inversion. However unstable ischemic syndromes have rapidly changing supply versus demand characteristics that is one of the several limitations of 12-lead ECG system for MI detection. In addition, the ECG sensor placements of 12-lead system is not easily donned and doffed for tele-healthcare monitoring at home. Vectorcardiogram (VCG) system in clinic is another type of diagnosis plot which represents the magnitude and direction of the electrical potential in the form of a vector loop during cardiac electric activity. The VCG system can easily acquire three ECG waves from X, Y, Z directions to composite vector signal in space and the VCG signals can be transferred to 12-lead ECG signal through Dower transformation and vice versa. Hence, this study attempts to develop a VCG-based classification system for the detection of Myocardial infarction. In the experiment results, the proposed system can select the proper ECG features based on cardiologist's knowledge and proposed principal moments of QRS complex. The classification performance of MI detection can be reached to 99.89% of sensitivity, 92.51% of specificity, 95.35% of positive predictive value, and 96.96% overall accuracy with maximum-likelihood classifier (MLC).